Bushnell Rotary, Macomb church to sell sweet corn

By Nick DraperStaff Reporter

Wednesday

Jul 23, 2014 at 10:50 AM

Community fundraising

Two local organizations will soon sell sweet corn to raise funds to give back to the community.

From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 28, 29 and 30, Wesley United Methodist Church will sell sweet corn at the 1212 W. Calhoun St. in Macomb. Ken Harpe, farm manager and church member, said the church has been doing the fundraiser for at least 42 years.

“We work the sweet corn project with 2 acres every year,” Harpe said.

Each bushel of corn is picked fresh daily, according to church member and mission committee chair Darlos Mummert. For $3.50, a “Wesley Methodist Dozen” or 13 ears can be purchased with proceeds going toward local and international missions.

Some proceeds will go toward the Compassion Project, Mummert said, that consists of a variety of projects such as the Court Appointed Special Advocates and Loaves and Fishes. The Streaming Waters project will also be a recipient of some of the funds generated by the sales.

“Every year it’s something different,” Mummert said. “We typically give in the neighborhood of $3,000 to $3,500, often locally. Occasionally, we will give to something we know is going on internationally.”

The “Corn for Compassion” project was started originally by Alexander “Zan” Harris to fund church work groups. Currently, Tim Sullivan, a tenant farmer for Wesley, takes care of the planting and care for the corn on the field that was donated to the church.

In Bushnell, the Rotary Club will be doing a fundraiser in a similar way at several locations, including at 7 a.m. on Saturday at the Farmer’s Market in Macomb, and Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Raritan State Bank, Bushnell Banking Center, Farmers and Merchant bank, and Batson’s Ace Hardware in Bushnell.

“We’ll start picking this Friday night at 5 p.m.,” said Erika Ingolia, current president of the Rotary Club. “If people contact a rotarian in Bushnell, they can pre-purchase and we’ll deliver the corn to them. Or you can come pick out your own corn at one of our spots.”

The club will sell the corn until it is gone at $4 for a “Rotary Dozen” or 13 ears. Proceeds from the sales will go back into the community.

Ingolia said the Rotary Club will donate to the backpack program held by the Catholic church in Bushnell, the Bushnell Recreation Department, and to general projects throughout the year. Each year the club donates around $1,500, she said.

This sweet corn sale will take the place of a former fundraiser known as Cornerstone, a Christian music and arts festival held in Bushnell that had taken place for more than 20 years. Ingolia said she hopes this fundraiser will prove as successful as Cornerstone, as this is the first year the club has taken on the corn sales.

The farm land was donated to the club by Art McEwen to provide space for the club to grow the corn and bags for the corn was donated by Batson’s Ace Hardware.

Ingolia stressed that Bushnell residents who purchase corn will be giving back to the community.

“We really do a good job giving money back to programs like little leagues (and) to (a) literacy project,” she said. “It’s important that everyone recognizes that this is where those type of funds come from.”

The club is also selling its annual meat raffle tickets at $1 each or six for $5 that benefits the annual Fall Festival in Bushnell.

Reach Nick Draper via email at ndraper@McDonoughVoice.com, or follow him on Twitter @nick_draper.

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